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No one has managed to give New York’s transportation system a PR glow-up quite like Kareem Rahma. The Egyptian-American creator built a loyal following, and millions of views, through his interview series Subway Takes and Keep the Meter Running, both rooted in one simple premise: the art of conversation. Agreement, disagreement, and everything in between.
Beyond the world of bite-sized interviews, Rahma has also ventured into scriptwriting and acting in Or Something (2024), expanding his fascination with storytelling into longer-form work. A man of many creative hats, and beanies, Rahma has become part of the fabric of online journalism and of New York itself. So it makes sense that H&M tapped him for its latest campaign, H&M&NewYork, a love letter to the city and its people.
Shot by acclaimed photographer Rafael Pavarotti, the campaign brings together an eclectic cast, including Ice Spice, John Turturro, Liya Kebede, Paloma Elsesser, Jay Guapo, and Lynn Yaeger, alongside faces discovered on the streets of New York.
In a recent post, Rahma wrote: “I wasn’t born here, but I feel like I was. Being a New Yorker isn’t about the time spent, it’s about the contributions you’ve made. Big and small. Anyways, 15 consecutive years in May. Stop calling me a transplant.”
We sat down with the New Yorker to talk fashion, identity, and H&M.
Congratulations on the H&M campaign! Can you tell us how you first found out you’d be part of it, and how this collaboration came together?
They reached out and said they were doing a campaign in New York and wanted me to be a part of it. I was super excited and enthusiastic. I’ve been a big fan of the brand for a long time. When they mentioned that Rafael Pavarotti was shooting the campaign, I got even more excited.
Then they asked me to essentially do a content series as a component of the campaign. I got even more excited, especially because they let me pitch a new idea for a show, Dirty Laundry, and bring my signature style to it.
So it was really cool to not only be one of the models or figures in the editorial campaign, but also to be involved in my own creative part of it, especially with the amazing crew and other talent they assembled.
What was like being in front of Raphael’s camera?
Man, he’s so, so good, and just so easy to work with. I was shocked at how smooth and effortless his set was. The photos really turned out great and the campaign is super strong.
How did you feel about the way H&M styled you?
I mean, they did such a good job. I was actually shocked at how everything H&M had to offer fit my style perfectly. I didn’t know they had that kind of clothing, and I was like, “Well, cool.”
I think they did such a good job styling based on people’s real personalities. For everyone, it really showed how much clothing they have and the different styles available, because everyone looked exactly like themselves. It was really cool to see that they could style people in what they felt comfortable wearing day to day. It also just goes to show how accessible and human H&M is as a brand.
Everyone seems to have a memory with H&M. Do you remember your first experience with the brand growing up?
I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I remember when the H&M store was in the Mall of America.I’m not sure if it’s still there. It was such an exciting place, and it’s where I would get my “going out” clothes. Back when I was heading to clubs or just needed to look nice, I used to go to H&M, and it was really cool.
Now, it’s still a place I can rely on for staples or last-minute items. I’ve bought many, many white button-up shirts there, either because I forgot to dry clean one or I needed one in a rush. Whether I’m in New York, Berlin, London, or somewhere else, H&M is always a reliable spot to grab that thing I forgot to bring.
You grew up in Minnesota and then moved to New York, which is such a different fashion landscape. Did living in New York change the way you dress or present yourself?
Oh, absolutely. I came to New York when I was 25, and back then I was really into heritage brands, like Filson, Red Wing boots, Pendleton, those Midwestern menswear staples. But when I got here, I didn’t really like that look anymore; it felt kind of naive. I transitioned into wearing all black. H&M came into play then, as I basically blacked out my wardrobe; black turtlenecks, black hoodies, black t-shirts, black jeans, black pants. I probably stayed in that phase for two or three years, wearing exclusively black. It was a good moment to figure out my stylistic identity, a blank slate that looked presentable but wasn’t loud, while still being stylish.
How would you describe your personal style now?
I’d describe it as classic ‘90s New York with my own little twist. I do dress like an adult, I would say. There are a lot of New Yorkers that don’t dress like adults, and I think that’s fine and cool. I don’t like wearing shorts or loafers at all. I look at George Costanza, Anthony Bourdain. Billy Crystal and Tom Hanks. Big, classic, nostalgic looks that feel effortless but intentional.
How do you typically put your outfits together?
I kind of just throw things on. Sometimes I don’t even look in the mirror, and I definitely don’t try to perfect anything. I do have a few rules though, I don’t really wear t-shirts. I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but I own maybe five, just in case I need one. Mostly, I wear collared shirts.
I’ll grab a collared shirt and some sort of jacket or layer; whether that’s a denim jacket or a suede jacket or some nylon jacket. Pants are kind of all over the place, though I love corduroys and denim. It’s simple, not a lot of effort, but presentable. I usually stick to three basic layers: an undershirt, a collared shirt, then some other layer, and pants. It feels relatively easy.
What do you think is the most stylish thing about New York?
I think the most stylish thing about New York is that people have to dress for four different “weather bubbles” in a single day. You might wake up freezing, by the afternoon it’s really hot, by evening it’s raining, and then it’s cold again. Dressing for four seasons in one day is a real challenge, and that, I think, makes New Yorkers stylish.
I also think it’s about being fully yourself. People aren’t afraid to be mocked or ridiculed, they can look cool in their own way without fear of judgment. Unless, of course, it’s your friends making fun of you, which is just a classic thing.
Who represents New York for you?
I don’t think there’s a singular person I would say is the embodiment of New York. And New York’s always changing, people are always coming, people are always going, every block is different. Every year the blocks are changing, the hotspots are changing, neighborhoods are changing, everything’s always changing.
So I don’t know if there’s a certain person out there I’d say is the embodiment of New York. I think it’s the people who continue to live here and contribute in their various small ways, the people that make the city amazing.
As an Egyptian-American, do you feel like moving to New York allowed you to be more of yourself?
You know, in college is when I really felt like I had found my version of the diaspora. Growing up, I didn’t really connect with other Egyptian Americans, my parents’ friends’ kids, for example. I didn’t really make friends there, and I didn’t feel like I fit into that bucket. I definitely felt more American.
But in college, I discovered my Arab American community and became more proud to be Egyptian. In New York, that pride doubled down even more, because it became something that is unique and something that was a differentiator, even though I didn’t have to try to be unique or different. It just is.
I’m sure you get asked this a lot, as Subway Takes has traveled around the world, not just New York, but also London and Berlin, and you’ve talked about expanding to Egypt. Do people from other countries reach out asking you to bring the show there?
Yeah, I’m definitely asked to take it everywhere. I mean, I think everyone’s proud of where they’re from, and it’s really amazing. I wish I had multiple Kareems to do it, but there’s only one of me, so I’ll get there eventually.
Who’s an ICON?
An icon is just an icon, man. I’ve never really thought about who an icon is. For me, I’d say Anthony Bourdain. The way people responded to him was incredible, and the way he was able to create this sort of empathy but also excitement for different people around the world is just a really unique skill. He had a unique voice, and a sense of style that’s often emulated. He’s one of those people that made the world a better place without necessarily setting out to do that. He was an effortless symbol, of culture.
